I'm wanting a few cue case tubes. Perhaps about 6 butt tubes and a dozen or so shaft tubes. Even half that amount would be helpful.

Any ideas?

THANKS /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

hadenball

12-16-2003, 08:20 AM

If you are building a tube type hard case you can use the golf tubes that clubs are shipped in. I got a bunch of them from a golf course pro shop and they work good. you can slit them lengthwise and mold them to fit your shaft. I use them when I make wooden tube type cases and they are real light and cut with a razor knife. Haden

tateuts

12-16-2003, 02:37 PM

Hi Jim,

I know Jack Justis sells them as replacements for his own cases. His have a soft material coating on them. You might try e-mailing him at :

jjustis4@aol.com

see you,

Chris

JimS

12-16-2003, 07:05 PM

Tried Jack Justis but struck out.

I think maybe the golf club seperators might work. I'm wanting to protect cues in a soft cue case. I have a Lucasi soft cue case and a Silver Fox soft case. I like them both primarily because they are so light-weight but the down side is obviously the lack of protection for the cue. I get very paranoid about having my South West in a soft sided cue case but with tubes for the butt and shaft I think I'd be safe in all but the most extreme abusive situations.

I'm old and need the light weight case 'cause I get so tired /ccboard/images/graemlins/frown.gif and need my energy so I don't get beat up on by the kids /ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Bob C

12-16-2003, 09:56 PM

I restored an old shot gun case and made a 2X6 cue case out of it. For tubes I used PVC pressure pipe (as I think it is called.) It is a thin-walled version of regular PVC pipe. It was not real easy to find, but a plumbing supply house eventually agreed to order it for me. My wife sewed liner tubes from a fabric similar, if not identical, to what Jack uses. The end product is virtually identical to Jack's finished tubes.

JimS

12-17-2003, 06:27 AM

Yes...Jack recommended I try to get thin walled pvc and he said Home Depot has it. I'll have to try Lowes..no Home Depot in town. Hmmmm, website maybe? Thanks for the tip and for posting.

JohnBarton

12-18-2003, 01:25 AM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote JimS:</font><hr> Yes...Jack recommended I try to get thin walled pvc and he said Home Depot has it. I'll have to try Lowes..no Home Depot in town. Hmmmm, website maybe? Thanks for the tip and for posting. <hr /></blockquote>

I don't know the diameters of the US spec tubes that work best but Instroke uses 40mm ID for the butts and 23mm ID for the shafts. You will most likely find the butt tubes in plumbing and the shaft tubes in electrical at the hardware store.

When you sew the liner make sure that you allow for the stretching when you turn it and secure the ends. Email me at instroke@instroke.com if you need more help.

John
http://www.cuecaserepair.com

JimS

12-18-2003, 06:38 AM

Thank you John for your response....and I have two Instroke cases by the way! I'm definitely saving the cue case repair address. It says they make limited custom cases. Hmmmmmm. I've not found custom makers who'll make a case like I want. I wonder if....

Fred Agnir

12-18-2003, 09:49 AM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote JimS:</font><hr> I'm wanting a few cue case tubes. Perhaps about 6 butt tubes and a dozen or so shaft tubes. Even half that amount would be helpful.

Fred is correct they are standard PVC. I have a set 2x4 already cut. You can get this done at Ace or True Value hardware stores. The butt is 1 1/4" and the shafts are 3/4". JJustis and Instroke uses the same size. The Instrokes are a little lighter because they use a more flexable pipe. I think it's sprinkler pipe, I forget the name of the stuff but PVC won't fit because of the flex in an Instroke case. BTW, Heide does excellent tube recovering. /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The hard thing is when changing these things are, the Instroke model you have to pull the tubes out from the bottom after removing the 1/4" plywood cap.

The JJustis, you have to pull the tubes out from the top lid. Both fit tight and you'll need patients.(sp?)

Good luck,

C.C.

JimS

12-18-2003, 07:36 PM

Well I'm be....

I had no idea the tubes were plain ole pvc. No wonder hard cases are heavy. I'll have to look for the thin-walled pvc.

The golf club seperators are working ok but they're not very stiff. I've got two soft cases that I love to use because they are light weight but the obvious downside is the lack of protection. So, I'm looking for something to use for protection for my South West butt and shafts. The break cue etc I'll take a chance with but got to have hard tubes for the SW. I'll use my Cue Reach for the break cue butt or for a third cue butt. Just got a nice Sailor cue at a bargain price to take along as an extra playing cue.

Still looking for improvement.

Thanks Fred and Chris...remembering the seamstress link there CC!!

JohnBarton

12-18-2003, 10:52 PM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Chris Cass:</font><hr> Hi Jim,

Fred is correct they are standard PVC. I have a set 2x4 already cut. You can get this done at Ace or True Value hardware stores. The butt is 1 1/4" and the shafts are 3/4". JJustis and Instroke uses the same size. The Instrokes are a little lighter because they use a more flexable pipe. I think it's sprinkler pipe, I forget the name of the stuff but PVC won't fit because of the flex in an Instroke case. BTW, Heide does excellent tube recovering. /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

The hard thing is when changing these things are, the Instroke model you have to pull the tubes out from the bottom after removing the 1/4" plywood cap.

The JJustis, you have to pull the tubes out from the top lid. Both fit tight and you'll need patients.(sp?)

Good luck,

C.C. <hr /></blockquote>

Actually, Instroke uses PVC tubing that is not available in the United States. The tubing is lighter but not as brittle as the plumbing tubing found at the local hardware store. The reason that store bought tubes won't fit in an Instroke is because the Instroke body is made to fit the Instroke tubing like a glove and to have very little movement. Also the outside diameter are different than the commercially available tubes and thus the total circumference is also different.

Weight is always going be an issue with tube cases because of the density of materials. I have thought of using carbon fiber tubes which are supposed to be stronger at less weight but I haven't done anything yet so I don't know what the parameters are and whether there is any advantage or not.

John

Chris Cass

12-19-2003, 03:49 AM

Hi John,

Actually I saw some of it at a place called Flicks Hardware out here in corn country. It's a French name I think. It was the same as the Instroke used. Well, the name anyway. You are right about the size deal. It was metric if I'm not mistaken.

Let me know if you do explore this and find a lighter durable enough meterial that's cost efficient for us. That would be great. /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Regards,

C.C.

Irish

12-19-2003, 05:29 PM

Interesting. I have been working on a case lately. I used electrical PVC tubing and lined the tubes with a really soft leather much like suede. The tubes are lined and glued together in a 3X4 configuration with the 3 butt tubes in a line and two shaft tubes on the top and bottom in the crevices of the butt tubes. The thing is sturdy as hell and will protect a cue through virtually anything but man is it heavy. Just the tubes and the leather linings are done and it weighs 10 pounds. I imagine the case will weigh 20 pounds when I put the leather exterior on it. With cues and everything inside the final case I am looking at 25-30 pounds which is a little extreme. I have been thinking about maybe trying to find lighter tubing and starting over, I am not really sure what to do at this point.

Chris Cass

12-19-2003, 05:41 PM

Hi Irish,

The weight thing is all in the tubes. Interesting though. It seems that if one could trim out the inside of the pvc it would be lighter and sturdy. Kind of like honing a cylinder. The tubing that Instroke uses is definitely lighter but it also flexes. Their case is mostly cardboard and is covered with thin leather.

Now, if you had some cardboard tubes that were think as the pvc then, it would be light and sturdy. Cardboard can be strong if, it's thick enough. Maybe the golf club tubes come in smaller sizes? That maybe a way to go?

Rergards,

C.C.~~knows what it means to carry a JJustis case for an entire tourney for two days. Heck, carried it in Vegas for like 14. Gives the sport a new meaning.

JimS

12-19-2003, 06:40 PM

Q guy posted over on az that he had just built a cue case using paper tubes but I don't know what he meant. I posted asking what he was talking about but haven't heard anything yet.

I asked all over town today, including a plumbing supply company,and couldn't get any thin-walled pvc pipe.

I put the golf club tubes in my soft case and it works fine except....

Except they are kinda weak and they are way too large for the shafts. It was suggested I make a length-wise slit in them and double them over until they fit. I did that and it works but it's kinda sloppy work. I don't like it. And they're still kinda weak, imo.

The weight thing is all in the tubes. Interesting though. It seems that if one could trim out the inside of the pvc it would be lighter and sturdy. Kind of like honing a cylinder. <hr /></blockquote> We use a lot of PVC pipe in our yearly robotic competition. Because of weight constraints, we end up drilling holes throughout the tubes. Hopefully, we do it strategically (normally using a jig of some sort) such that the tube retains strength. And believe me, they go through a hell of a lot more abuse than the average cue case will ever see in a lifetime. I'm thinking that if these holes were done, and then they get recovered, you'd never know the holes were there other than the fact that the case would be lighter.

Fred &lt;~~~ heading to the patent office.

JimS

12-19-2003, 09:08 PM

Hmmmmm. Pretty sweet. /ccboard/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Troy

12-19-2003, 09:49 PM

Jim... I think the thin wall PVC is the kind used for sprinkler systems -- the outlet side of the valve going to the heads, not the pressure holding side of the valve. I'm not sure, but I think it was called "Schedule 40" or maybe "Schedule 125".

Also, maybe Mail Boxes USA - now called the UPS Store - has thin wall mail tubes in the right length. They wouls be thick paper similar to cardboard.

The weight thing is all in the tubes. Interesting though. It seems that if one could trim out the inside of the pvc it would be lighter and sturdy. Kind of like honing a cylinder. <hr /></blockquote> We use a lot of PVC pipe in our yearly robotic competition. Because of weight constraints, we end up drilling holes throughout the tubes. Hopefully, we do it strategically (normally using a jig of some sort) such that the tube retains strength. And believe me, they go through a hell of a lot more abuse than the average cue case will ever see in a lifetime. I'm thinking that if these holes were done, and then they get recovered, you'd never know the holes were there other than the fact that the case would be lighter.

Fred &lt;~~~ heading to the patent office. <hr /></blockquote>

The holes have been suggested to me before. I never even tried it because of other things going on. It's probably a good idea.